Quick-acting door



April 10, 1945.

M. LAMBERT QUICK-ACTING DOOR Filed Oct. 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l April10, 1945'.

' F. M LAMBERT QUICK-ACTING DOOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm a E on;

Filed Oct. 16, 1942 er Mam HTTOPNE) WITNESS April 10, 1945. F. M.LAMBERT QUICK-ACTING DOOR Filed Oct. 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedApr. 10, 1945 QUICK-ACTING DOOR Francis M. Lambert, Narberth, Pa.,assignor to Heintz Manufacturing Company, a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication ()ctober 16, 1942, Serial No. 462,287

Claims.

The invention relates to quick-acting fastening means for ship doors,hatches and the like, and is directed Specifically to fasteningmechanism wherein a plurality of dogging bars on a closure member areoperated simultaneously by a'common control member to thrust the outerends of the bars into overlapping relation with respect to the framemember and then move the outer ends transversely toward the frame memberto thereby effect a sealing engagement between the edge of the closuremember and the frame member.

One of the principal objects of the invention is an increase inefficiency, or a reduction of the hand-wheel load, in a simplifiedmechanism for locking and sealing such doorsin closed position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of quick-actingmechanism which is so-designed that, with slight movement of the controlmember, the locking elements are positively thrust into overlappingposition with respect to the door and frame, and, by the same movementof the control member, leverage is positively applied to the lookingmeans to seal the edge of the door against the frame, A still furtherobject of the invention is the provision in quick-acting fastening meansof rotating mechanism, which, upon rotation in one direction, willoperate during apart of the movement to thrust aplurality of doggingbars longitudinally into overlapping position with respect to the frameand, during the final rotational movement in the same direction, willoperate .to apply leverage to the dogging bars to seal the edge of thedoor to'the frame, and, upon rotation in the reverse direction, will atfirst apply leverage to the dogging bars to relieve the pressure betweenthe, edge of the door and the frame and, upon continued rotation in thereverse direction, will withdraw the dogging bars from a positionoverlapping the frame to thereby permit the door to be opened in thecustomary manner. Other objects and advantages of the improvement willbe apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational View of a door and frame with the improvedquick-acting fastening means incorporated therein, the rear door panelbeing partly broken away for-purposes of clarit Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetailed View taken near the middle of Fig. 1 and showing the actuatingmeans for the fastening mechanism and one of the units of the mechanism,the latter being shown in undogged position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in doggedposition;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4of Fig. 2 and showing some of the parts of the device in elevation;

' Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of one of the spiders whichactuates the dogging bars, taken substantially on the line 55 of'Fig. 2,and omitting the dogging bars and the crank pins to which their innerends are connected;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational View of the crank arm forming a part ofeach spider;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the cam plate associated with thecrank'arm shown in 8 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a portionof the fastener unit shown at the top of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 9 is a. transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line9-9 of Fig. 8; and V Figs. 10, Hand l2are views in rear elevation,

plan, and end elevation, respectively, of the inner end of one of thedogging bars.

The improvements are disclosed herein in connection with a door I whichforms a closure member cooperating with theframe 2 of a door opening,hatchway, or the like. The frameZ is preferably of the type which isprovided with a flange or coaming 3 which cooperates with the edge ofthe door I to seal the latter in closed position. Preferably the frame 2is provided on the face opposite the flange 3 with a reinforcingor'dogging strip 4. While no hinging means is shown, the door I may behinged on the frame 2 in any suitable manner so that its edges'arebrought into over-lapping relation with the coaming 3 when it is inclosed position.

The door proper-comprises a front panel 5, a rear panel 6* and amarginal reinforcing member I on the inner face of the front panel, andthe margin of the front panel 5 is preferably'turned over, as shown at8, to form achannel for a gasket 9 of rubber or the like clamped-betweenthe edge 8 and the reinforcing member I. A suitable numcrank arm I3, acam plate It associated therewith, and a plurality of crank pins l5interconnecting the crank arm 13 and the cam plate 14.

The cam plate 14 may be integral with the crank arm l3, but as disclosedherein it is'secured on the outer end of an axial hub I16 projectingfrom the rear face of the crank arm I 3. When constructed in this mannerthe outer end of the hub l6 and the adjacent face of the cam plate I4may be provided with interlocking clutch teeth in order that the crankarm I 3 and the cam' plate I 4 may rotate together upon rotation of thecrank arm. A bearing sleeve I1 extending through the hub I6 and througha central opening it in the cam plate l4 forms a bearing'for the spiderl2 and. supports the same on a spindle P9; The enlarged head 20 on thespindle T9 is welded or otherwise secured to a. transverse reinforcingbar l0, and the spider I2 is retainedon the spindle by a nut 2| threadedthereon and engaging with the outer face of the cam plate l4.

Associated with each spider #2 is a plurality of doggingbars 22. Theinner endi oi. each dogging bar 22- isprov-idedwith enlarged opening 23to receive one "of p the; crank. pins 5, and Y the outer-end is arrangedto be thrust into and out oi overlapping-,zposition withrespect to-theframe member '2. -'Ihe:o1 1ter.end portion of each'doge ging bar 22 isslidably supported in a uide post secured on a reinforcing-bar ID or H.near the outer edgeof the door, As shownin Figs.- 8 and 9 of thedrawings, each guide post 24 is provided with a transverse. slot 25 toreceive the dogging bar. The irmer end of the slot 25is shaped toprovide a transverse ripe-25 and form a support foraspringflwith whichoneedge of the dogging bar 22 is held in sliding engagement. The .bar 22is held on the: spring-21 by-a follower plate 28 in contact-with theedge. of the bar opposite the spring 21. .The-endsof the followerplate28 are cut away to. conform to-thesh'ape'of the side walls of theslot 25, as-shownby the dotted lines in Fig.;.8, inorder to-retain thefollower plate in the slot. A set screw-29-intheouter endxof: the guidepost 24 and-in alignment with anopening 3i! in panel 6: has. itsrinnerendin contact with; the follower plate .28 in order to 1 control theextent of compression of :the gasket-.9. order-to..reduce the dimensionsof the actuating: means for the dogging bars in the directionuof thethiclmess of the-door, .-the inner portion of each dogging .bar 2'2reduced in. width asshown at, and theextreme inner-endisflattened asshown at 32. The fiatusection- 32 is joined to.- the reduced..endportion. 3 thy. a. tapered edge portion 33 adjacent the-crank: pinopening 2 3, and the tapered part 33-- serves as a cam face in.v theapplication of leverage to the dogging bar 22in sealing the. door inclosed position. The enlarged opening 23 permits the inner .end of thebar to move. axially on the crank pin l5, with-.

to apply leverage to the dogging bar when in this position, and thuscomplete the sealing action, one of the locking earns 34 on the rearface of the crank arm l3 cooperates with the tapered surface 33 to forcethe inner end of the dogging bar away from the crank arm l3, in thedirection of the cam plate M. The outer end of the bar is thus forcedtightly against the dogging strip 4 andcompresses the gasket 9' betweenthe edge of the door and the flange 3. It is is desired to emphasizethat the helix angle of each cam 34 is approximately travel for a slightrotation of the cam. As a consequence, aslight rotating movement of eachspider f2 is sufiicient to move the inner end of each dogging bar to aconsiderable extent in a direction to apply leverage to-the bars whenthe door is being sealed. The particular location of the guide post orfulcrum 24 serves to convert the large leverage movementof the inner endofv each dogging bar into a small movement of the outer end to producethe necessary compression of gas.- ket 9.- The locking cams or wedgeelementsare therefore associated with the spider instead of with theframe member, as is customary, in-order that this higherwedge-efficiency may be attained.

Upon rotation of the spider 12 in a reverse direction, cam 34 releasesthe inner endof each bar andone of. the earns 35 on the cam plate [4,.ad- J'acent crank pin l5, moves the inner end of the dogging bar 22 awayfrom the cam plate I4, inthe directiono'f the crank arm H, to thusrelieve the pressure between the coaming 3 and. the gasket 9' to permitwithdrawal of the dogging. bar upon continued rotation of the spider l2in the reverse direction. The two cams 34 and 35 associated out.anybinding action, as leverage is applied to the bar to fulcrum it inthe guidepost 24 and overlapping engagement. with the, dogging. strip 4to thus-effect a slight compression: of the gasket 9 between the outeredge of. the door and the flange 3. whenthe dogging bar is insubstantial gnm t w t i e xis; o he; s r. "I or with each dogging barare so arranged on the crank arm l3 and the cam. plate 14, respectively,that oneis in operative position when the other is in inoperativeposition. When so arranged'the locking cam 34 on the. crank arm. retainsthe: dog.- ging bar in sealing'position when the dogging bar issubstantially in alignment with the axis of the spider, and theassociated.cam-.35on the cam plate retains the dogging bar in theunsealed position When'thev dogging bar is withdrawn and substantiallyat right angles to a line joining its crank pin: andthe axis of thespider.

In orderthat the spiders i2 may be usedxinterchangeably in thevariouspositions as shown. in Fig. '1, each is provided with fourcrankpins 15 and foursets of associated cams 34 and;35: With the arrangementof fastener units illustrated-inn Fig-.5 1 however, it. will beunderstoodthat: only three of; the crankpins 15' are utilized the upperand: lowerlfastenerunits; and that: only two of the crank pins l5. areutilized with the middle unit.. Wit-h: closure members of. adifferent'form: or size,, more or less; of? the crank pins and their asso ciated.cams: may be: utilized; and: it will be. understood that each. spider:may; be provided with such: number of crank pins and associated sets ofcams as desired,;dependent uponthe number of dogging barsoperatedthereby. .E'achz of the cams 34 is located adjacent a.crank-pin;15 and'on the side of the pinoppositeihub'ilii; while each cam 35 of theassembled spider is locatedi between two-consecutive crank pinsandisthus offset; circumferentially and radially inwardrfirom cams- 34.a

since this angle produces maximum efliciency and gives a great extent ofarm and extending through an opening in the link bar. When so connected,rotational movement of one spider will effect rotation of the otherspiders in unison therewith. The means provided for actuating the linkbar 36 and thus effecting simultaneous rotational movement of thespiders l2 comprises a shaft 3! supported in a bearing 38 which issecured in the reinforcing bar ll near the middle of the door. A pair ofaligned crank arms 39 on the shaft 3'! have a spindle 43 secured intheir outer ends. A hub 4| is rotatably mounted on the spindle 40 and isintegral with the inner end of a toggle arm 42. The outer end oftogglearm 42 is connected to the link bar 36 by a pin 43 secured on thetoggle bar 36 downwardly, while rotational movement of the shaft 31 inthe opposite direction, that is, clockwise from the position shown inFig. 3, will serve to move the link bar 36 upwardly. As shown in Fig. 4,each end of shaft 31 is provided with manual means for rotating the sameand, preferably, this means is in the form of a hand wheel 44 secured onthe outer end of the shaft, one hand wheel being outside the front panel5 and the other wheel being outside the rear panel 6. Auxiliary controlmeans, such as a hand lever 45, is fixed to each hand wheel 44 for thepurpose of giving additional leverage when such is desired in theoperation of fastening and unfastening the door.

The hand lever 45 also serves as a gravity actuated device to retain thefastening means in both the dogged and undogged positions. When thevarious parts of the mechanism are in the undogged position, as shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the hand wheel 44 has been rotated ina clockwise direction to an extent determined by the engagement of thelower end of arm 42 with shaft 31 as shown in Fig. 2. With the parts ofthe mechanism in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the lower endof the arm 42 engages with the shaft 31 to limit the movement of thehand wheel at a position in which the action of gravity upon the handlever 45 tends to continue the movement of the hand wheel 44 in aclockwise direction. The parts will thus be retained in the undoggedposition until the hand wheel 44 is again rotated in a counterclockwisedirection.

Upon rotation of the handwheel 44 in a counter-clockwise direction fromthat illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the parts of. the mechanism will bemoved into the dogged position as shown in Fig. 3. Movement of the handwheel in the counter-clockwise direction is limited by the engagement ofthe concave edge of arm 42 with the shaft 31. When at its limit ofmovement in this direction, that is, when the parts are in doggedposition, the hand lever 45 is so positioned that the action of gravitythereon tends to continue the movement of the hand wheel 44 in a.counterclockwise direction and thus retain the parts in dogged position.

A detent device, such as a spring 45, tends to retain the parts in theirrespective positions when the shaft 31 has been rotated to the limit ofits movement. in each direction. This spring is bolted-to overhangingbracket 41. on the hub 4i, and one end is bent as shown at 4B forengagement with shaft 31 when the parts are in undogged position, andthe other end is bent as shown at 49 for engagement with shaft 31 whenthe parts are in dogged position.

Inasmuch as the operation of the various features of the improvement hasbeen described above in connection with the description of the structureof the parts, no further explanation of the operation is believed to benecessary. While a preferred form of the improvement has been disclosed,together with a certain arrangement of the different parts, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not intended to be limited to theprecise form and arrangement of parts disclosed. The above descriptionand the accompanying drawings are therefore to be regarded asillustrative only and it is to be understood that the invention issusceptible of other forms and arrangements so long as they come withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What I desire to claim is: I

1. In a quick-acting door of the type in which the edges of a closuremember are clamped to the edges of a frame member, the combination of aspider rotatably mounted on said closure member, a plurality of doggingbars fulcrumed on said closure member and having their outer endsmovable into and out of position overlapping said frame member, a crankpin connecting the inner end of each dogging bar directly to said spiderfor thrusting the. outer end of said bars outwardly into overlappingrelation with re spect to said frame member upon rotation of said spiderto a predetermined extent in one direction, a cam on said spider forapplying leverage to the inner end of each of said bars to move saidouter ends transversely toward said frame member upon further rotationof said spider in the same direction, means for preventing such leveraction of said bars when in withdrawn position, and means for rotatingsaid spider.

2. In a quick-acting door of the type in which the edges of a closuremember are clamped to the edges of a frame member, the combination of aspider rotatably mounted on said closure member, a plurality of doggingbars fulcrumed on said closure member and having their outer endsmovable into and out of position overlapping said frame member, a crankpin connecting the inner end or each dogging bar directly to said spiderfor thrusting the outer ends of said bars outwardly into overlappingrelation with respect to said frame member upon rotation of said spiderto a predetermined extent in one direction, a cam on said spider forapplying leverage to each bar to move itsinner end endwise on said crankpin and its outer end transversely toward said frame upon furtherrotation of said spider in the same direction, means for' preventingsuch leveraction of said bars when in withdrawn position, and means forrotating said spider.

3. In a quick-acting door of the type in which the edges of a closuremember are clamped to the edges of a frame member, the combination of aspider rotatably mounted on said closure member, a plurality of doggingbars fulcrumed on said closure member and having their outer endsmovable into and out of position overlapping said frame member, a pinconnecting the inner endof each dogging bar to said spider for thrustingthe outer ends of said bars outwardly into overlapping relation withrespect to said frame, member upon rotation of said spider to apredetermined extent in one direction, a locking cam on each spider forapplyingleverageto each bar to move its outer end transversely towardsaid frame member upon further rotation of. said spider in the samedirection, means actuated upon reverse rotation of said spidertoapredetermined extent to move the :outer ends :of said bars transverselyaway from said frame member prior to their movement out of positionover-.

lapping said frame member, and tating said spider. i

, 4- In a quick-acting door of the type in which the edges of a closuremember'are clamped to the edges of a frame member, the combination ofaspiderrotatably mounted on said closure memmeans for rober, a pluralityof dogging bars fulcrumed on said. closure member and havingtheirouterends movable into and out of position overlapping said framemember, a pin connecting the inner end of each dogging bar to saidspiderfor thrusting the outer ends ofsaid bars outwardly intooverlappingrelation with respect to said frame member upon rotation-ofsaid spider to apredetermined extent in one direction, a locking cam oneach spider for applying leverage'to each bar to move its outer endtransversely toward said frame member upon, further rotation of saidspider in the same direction, a cam associated with each pin forresisting leveragemovement of each bar during its outward thrust and forreleasing each bar for leverage movement during the operation of saidlocking cam, and means f or rotating said spider.

5. In quick-acting fastenlng means for a door of the typeinwhichtheedges of a closure memher are clamped to the edges of'a framemember, a spider rotatably mounted on said'closure member, a pluralityof dogging barsfulcrumed near the outer edge of said closure member andhaving endwise movement-into and out of overlapping position withrespect to said frame member, connecting means between the inner ends ofsaid dogging bars .and said spider for thrusting the outer ends of saiddogging bars into and out of the type in which the edges of a. closurememher are clamped to the edges of a frame member, a spider rotatablymountedon said closure member, aplurality of dogging bars fulcrumed nearthe outer edge of saidclosure member and having endwise movement intoand out of overlapping position with respect to said frame member,connecting means between the -inner ends of said dogging bars and saidspider for thrusting the outer ends of said dogging bars into and out ofoverlapping position with'respect to said frame member upon rotation ofsaid spider in opposite directions, a cam operatively connected to saidspider for applying leverage to said dogging bars to move the outer endsthereof," transversely toward said frame member at the completion of therotational movement of saidspider to thrust said dogging bars,outwardly, a, cam operatively connected to said spider for applyingdogging bars to move the outer ends. thereof transversely away from saidframe members at the beginning of the rotational movement of said spiderto retract said dogging bars, and means forrotating said spider.

'7. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, aicirankiarm pivotallymountedon said door and having a crank pin thereon, a guide post mountednear the edge of said door, a dogging bar having its outer end slidablysupported in said guide post. and itsinner end connected to said crankpin for :movement lengthwise thereon, means on said crank arm for movingthe inner end of said dogging bar in one direction on said crank pin assaid crank arm is rotated in one direction to bring said crank pin andthe axis of said crank arm into alignment with said dogging bar, andmeans on said crank pin for moving the inner end of said dogging bar inthe opposite direction on said crank pin as said crank arm is rotated inthe opposite direction with said crank pin and the axis of said crankarm out of alignment with said dogging bar. r

8. In quick-acting fastening means for a door,

av crank arm, a spindle on which said crank arm is rotatably mounted, acam plate spaced from said crank arm and rotatable therewith on saidspindle, a crank pin interconnecting said crank arm and said ca'm plate,a dogging bar having its inner end mounted on said crank pin and movablethereon toward and away from said crank arm and said cam plate, afulcrum in which the outer end of said dogging bar is slidablysupported, acam on said crank arm for moving the inner end of saiddogging bar toward said cam plate during the final rotational movementof said crank arm in one direction, a cam on said cam plate for movingthe inner end of said dogging bar toward said crank arm during theinitial rotational movement of said crank arm in the reverse direction,and means for rotating said crank arm.

9. In a quick-acting-door of the type in which the edges of a closuremember are clamped to the edges of a frame member, the combination of aplurality of spiders rotatably mounted on said closure member, a.plurality of dogging bars fulcrumed near the outer edge of said closuremember and having their outer ends slidable into and out of positionoverlapping said frame member, a crank 'pin connection between the innerend of each dogging bar and one of said spiders for thrusting the outerends of said dogging bars outwardly into overlapping relation withrespect to said frame member upon rotation of said spiders to apredetermined extent in one direction a cam on said spider for applyingleverage to each of said dogging bars to move their outer endstransversely toward said frame member upon further rotation of saidspiders in the same directiommeans for preventing such lever action ofsaid bars when in withdrawn position, interconnecting means betweensaidspiders for rotating the same in unison, and means for actuatingsaid interconnecting means to rotate said spiders.

1 0. In quick-acting fastening means for a' door, a plurality of crankarms pivotally mounted 'on said 'door, a crank pin on each of said crankarms, a plurality of guide posts mounted near the edge of said door, adogging bar associated with each of said crankar'ms with its outer endleverage to said fulcrumed and slidably supported in one of said of saidcrank pins and movable lengthwise thereon, cam means actuated by therotation of said crank arms to move the inner end of each dogging bar inone direction on its crank pin when said crank arms are rotated to bringthe axis of each into alignment with the dogging bars associatedtherewith and move the inner end of each dogging bar in the oppositedirection on its crank pin when said crank arms are reversely rotated sothat the axis of each crank arm is out of alignment with the dogging barassociated therewith, and means for actuating said crank arms in unison.

11. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, the combination of aspider rotatably mounted on said door, a plurality of dogging barsfulcrumed adjacent the edge of said door and slidable toward and awayfrom the edge of said door, connecting means between the inner ends ofsaid bars and said spider for thrusting said bars outwardly toward theedge of said door upon rotation of said spider to a predetermined extentin one direction, means actuated upon further rotation of said spider inthe same direction to move the outer ends of said bars transverselytoward said door, means actuated upon reverse rotation of said spider toa predetermined extent to move the outer ends of said bars transverselyaway from said door, said connecting means operating to withdraw saidbars inwardly away from the edge of said door upon further reverserotation of said spider, and means for rotating said spider in oppositedirections.

12. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, a plurality of doggingbars mounted on said door for endwise movement toward and away from theedge of said door, rotatable means on said door for thrusting said barsoutwardly upon rotion of said rotatable means to a predetermined extentto move the outer ends of said bars transversely away from said door,said rotatable means operating to retract said bars inwardly uponfurther reverse rotation thereof, and means for actuating said rotatablemeans. v

13. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, a pluralit of crank armsrotatably mounted on said door, a dogging bar associated with each crankarm and having its outer end fulcrumed and slidably supported adjacentthe outer edge of said door, means on said crank arms and actuated uponrotation of said arms in one direction to thrust said bars outwardlywith respect to the edge of said door and move the outer ends thereoftransversely toward said edge and upon reverse rotation to move theouter ends of said bars transversely away from the edge of said door andwithdraw said bars inwardly with respect to said edge, a link barconnecting said crank arms for oper-, ating the same in unison and meansfor actuating said link bar.

14. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, a crank arm, an axialhub on one face thereof, a plurality of cams arranged on said faceconcentrically with respect to said hub and equally spaced from eachother, a cam plate secured on the outer end of said hub, and a pluralityof cams on the face of said plate adjacent said crank arm and arrangedconcentrically with respect to said hub and offset radially andcircumferentially with respect to said first named cams.

15. In quick-acting fastening means for a door, a crank arm, an axialhub on one face of said arm, a crank pin on said'face, a cam on saidface spaced outwardly from said crank pin, a cam plate on the outer endof said hub, and a cam on the face of said cam plate adjacent said crankarm and offset circumferentially and inwardly with respect to the cam onsaid crank arm.

FRANCIS M. LAMBERT.

